Vietnam has been transitioning from the rigidities of a centrally planned, highly agrarian economy since the 1990s to a more industrial and market-based economy, which has raised income and quality of life substantially. Expanding gross domestic product (GDP), modern infrastructure and a dramatic increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) point to a thriving investment environment in Vietnam. In fact, it has been called Asia’s newest ‘tiger’ economy, following in the footsteps of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

The oil industry in 2010 was rocked by a major disaster: the explosion of Deepwater Horizon drilling rig owned by BP, the British multinational oil and gas company. Millions of gallons of crude oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico, creating widespread water pollution and considerable destruction to the ecosystem. The environmental disaster did not only result in a disastrous fall of market value and stock price, but also a fine of 20.8 billion USD.

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) is one of the Caribbean’s foremost financial centers and a major player in the global offshore financial services industry. Furthermore, recent regulatory changes in BVI demonstrate the jurisdiction’s proactive approach to accommodating new technologies within the financial services industry and its agile response to market trends and demands with enhanced legislation.

From India to Indonesia, Asia is booming. According to the OECD, it will remain the world’s fastest growing region for at least another three decades. The burgeoning middle class is already reshaping the international economy: millions of newly empowered consumers are driving demand for digital innovations, luxury products and professional services. From hospitality to healthcare, Asia offers investors unprecedented opportunity.

The marketplace is abuzz with talk of “Big Data.” From the techie to the layman, most view big data, and analytics generally, as the solution to all business challenges. But is it really? And how can companies use it to improve their organizations?